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Old 02-07-2019, 03:28 PM
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Ice Fishing Maniac Ice Fishing Maniac is offline
 
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Default APA Archery Bow Comments

Wanting to get back into bow hunting...especially elk. Been a few years but I did it very seriously from 1994 till about 2008...(family life changes). My boys are older now and one (coming 13) wants to get into bow hunting as well.

Anyhow does anyone have any comments on ARA bows? Being a Canadian company, I am thinking on supporting them.

I am looking at the Mamba 33XR model.

Thanks in advance .
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  #2  
Old 02-07-2019, 03:34 PM
Mountainaccent Mountainaccent is offline
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I’ve seen them shoot great Know lots who use them just can’t get over how ugly they are lol
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  #3  
Old 02-07-2019, 03:42 PM
DeltaDee DeltaDee is offline
 
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Default Mamba 32

I bought mine several years ago. Been fantastic.

When I went to buy a bow, I tried all the main brands.. they were all good too.. really 6 of one, half dozen the other.. I couldn't tell the difference between alot of them. Yea slight differences in the draw, and feel but really... Not much I could tell, they all put the arrow right where I put the sight.

In the end Canadian Made was the difference for me. I'm happier spending the money supporting their shop.
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  #4  
Old 02-07-2019, 04:56 PM
Kylejm Kylejm is offline
 
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I have an APA sidewinder 2, now called the mamba air, I love it, its compact easy to shoot, easy to carry and hang and has features that I love like the cam lock, I have changed the strings by myself without a bow press. that's to me is the best feature of APA
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Old 02-07-2019, 05:39 PM
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Lefty-Canuck Lefty-Canuck is offline
 
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APA are a good solid bow, Canadian made. Pretty much the same design just revamped little changes the past 4-5 years.

LC
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Old 02-07-2019, 05:39 PM
calgarychef calgarychef is offline
 
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Kylejm View Post
I have an APA sidewinder 2, now called the mamba air, I love it, its compact easy to shoot, easy to carry and hang and has features that I love like the cam lock, I have changed the strings by myself without a bow press. that's to me is the best feature of APA
You can change strings without a press? That’s the number one reason I hate compounds, not field repairable. Do you think you could do it in the field?
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Old 02-07-2019, 07:13 PM
JordyMicheal JordyMicheal is offline
 
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Great bows, amazing features, shoot fantastic.... agree they aren't my favorite looking bow though....
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  #8  
Old 02-07-2019, 08:59 PM
338Bluff 338Bluff is offline
 
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Quote:
Originally Posted by JordyMicheal View Post
Great bows, amazing features, shoot fantastic.... agree they aren't my favorite looking bow though....
That's the exact same thing I said when I saw the first Hoyt riser with the bridge almost 20 years ago. I asked if it was some sort of Klingon war axe or something. They still shot good.
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  #9  
Old 02-07-2019, 09:36 PM
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DeadEyeGardner DeadEyeGardner is offline
 
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Default Buy APA, support Canadian products, you will not be let down!

With the technology in most of today’s products, compound bows being no exception, most bows will shoot somewhat similar from one manufacturer to the next. Like mentioned above, you can shoot them all and most wont feel any real differences.

Apa customer service is seriously second to none. Their website is full of specs and tech videos. I’ve owned several Apa bows now and I highly recommend going that route- especially since you’d like to support a Canadian company. You won’t be let down, and the high end apa bows come in quite favourably under competitors bows in terms of price.

(For the record, I’m not endorsed by APA, although I’d love to be lol)
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  #10  
Old 02-07-2019, 08:49 PM
338Bluff 338Bluff is offline
 
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Originally Posted by calgarychef View Post
You can change strings without a press? That’s the number one reason I hate compounds, not field repairable. Do you think you could do it in the field?
Yep. 100%
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  #11  
Old 02-10-2019, 07:53 AM
Settle&release Settle&release is offline
 
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I have one for sale fully loaded if you are interested

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  #12  
Old 02-21-2019, 12:24 PM
Andrew_Arsenault Andrew_Arsenault is offline
 
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I have owned several APA’s over the years. They are extremely easy to work on and have the best customer service in the industry! The 33xr is an absolute pleasure to shoot as well as being forgiving and FAST! I’m ordering one of the 28’s for this up coming season.
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  #13  
Old 02-21-2019, 12:59 PM
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BCROB BCROB is offline
 
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just posted an M7 , minty , maybe 40 arrows through it
too many bows , thinning the herd
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  #14  
Old 02-26-2019, 11:33 PM
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I shoot a m34 for hunting and the 38RDS for 3D/Target. Both are great bows. Apa has great customer service and warranty. Not needing a bow press to be worked on is a great feauture
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  #15  
Old 02-28-2019, 09:55 AM
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bezzola bezzola is offline
 
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Who is the APA dealer in Edmonton when my son bought his it was wyld archery is it still them
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  #16  
Old 03-26-2019, 02:43 PM
Settle&release Settle&release is offline
 
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I shot a bunch of critters with one and shot it for 6 years and loved it. But then I got serious and got Hoyt...

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  #17  
Old 04-18-2019, 11:25 AM
Young-gun Young-gun is offline
 
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Absolutely love my M32, switched from a Hoyt spider. Definitely no regrets.


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  #18  
Old 04-18-2019, 11:59 AM
350 mag 350 mag is offline
 
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APA technology hasn't changed in years....nothing wrong with them just haven't advanced or changed much.

When I had one it didn't make IBO and the D.L measured 3/4 to 1" long.

Check out the classifieds on here.

There are a couple Bowtech Carbon ODs for sale.....save enough on NEW price to pay for some good arrows.....

There isn't an easier tuning bow on the market than the Bowtech OD Binary cam system.

There limb problems have been solved since 2017.

Bowtech has been the ONLY bows I have ever owned that come close to making their IBO claims.....
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  #19  
Old 04-19-2019, 07:20 AM
Donkey Slayer Donkey Slayer is offline
 
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Had my apa the last 7 years. No issues. Gets one or two critters every year.
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  #20  
Old 04-19-2019, 08:30 AM
Tony the fish Tony the fish is offline
 
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I have a King cobra in 80 lbs max draw. I am a 32 inch draw and enjoy the fact that they do come a little longer than advertised. I m shooting a 600 grain arrow set up at 300 FPS. The bow can be tricky to tune but once you have it, the bow is quite accurate. The added features is where this bow shines. The handle , hanger fang are extremely useful when hunting. The cam lock can be a life saver if you have a blow out in a remote area. That being said, you better know how to string a bow and tune before you attempt a field string swap. Overall great bow, Canadian product, might not be the ideal choice for the novice archer.


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  #21  
Old 04-19-2019, 08:39 AM
350 mag 350 mag is offline
 
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When you look at Bowtechs new bows there is NO comparison.

APA is still using dual-cam technology that every bow company had in the 1990s?

Flip disc technology which gives you 2 bows in one with Performance and Comfort modes.

Microtune disc which allows you to lengthen or shorten cables and adjust cam timing without pressing the bow.
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  #22  
Old 04-19-2019, 09:29 AM
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Lefty-Canuck Lefty-Canuck is offline
 
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Quote:
Originally Posted by 350 mag View Post
When you look at Bowtechs new bows there is NO comparison.

APA is still using dual-cam technology that every bow company had in the 1990s?

Flip disc technology which gives you 2 bows in one with Performance and Comfort modes.

Microtune disc which allows you to lengthen or shorten cables and adjust cam timing without pressing the bow.
The basis of the APA Cam technology is actually OEM’d from Bowtech, similar to the older Black Knight cams long before they came out with the Binary Overdrive cam.

LC
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  #23  
Old 04-19-2019, 10:37 AM
Scopithorne Scopithorne is offline
 
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Lefty-Canuck View Post
The basis of the APA Cam technology is actually OEM’d from Bowtech, similar to the older Black Knight cams long before they came out with the Binary Overdrive cam.

LC
This is 100 percent not true apa manufactures all cams in house based on their own design. As for dual cams being old technology that is also a misconception there is not a cam that will give you more performance or accuracy than a dual cam. In recent years Matthew's has even reverted to this technology the biggest problem with the dual cam 20 years ago was string technology that is no longer an issue your binary or cam and a half can be out of time but being slaved together can hide alot doesn't mean ur bow is in tune at least a dual cam will show you
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  #24  
Old 04-19-2019, 12:59 PM
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Lefty-Canuck Lefty-Canuck is offline
 
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Scopithorne View Post
This is 100 percent not true apa manufactures all cams in house based on their own design. As for dual cams being old technology that is also a misconception there is not a cam that will give you more performance or accuracy than a dual cam. In recent years Matthew's has even reverted to this technology the biggest problem with the dual cam 20 years ago was string technology that is no longer an issue your binary or cam and a half can be out of time but being slaved together can hide alot doesn't mean ur bow is in tune at least a dual cam will show you
The original design...was Bowtech OEM design, they put their spin on it but that’s where it came from originally period .

LC
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  #25  
Old 04-19-2019, 11:17 AM
350 mag 350 mag is offline
 
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Lefty-Canuck View Post
The basis of the APA Cam technology is actually OEM’d from Bowtech, similar to the older Black Knight cams long before they came out with the Binary Overdrive cam.

LC
Pretty sure from when Kevin Strothers worked for Bowtech he has patent on 2 track dual can with stops.

I think Binary OD cams have license from Darton.

Darton( Rex Darlington) probably holds more patents on bow and can designs than any other.

Pretty much binary and Cam 1.5 were based off his designs?
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  #26  
Old 04-19-2019, 12:38 PM
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I have an APA Viper Nano. I went in last year to buy a Mamba 32, I wanted the speed and the dual cams. Was prepared to buy it until I tested out a Bowtech Realm. Long story short, I left APA and bought the Realm.

The reasons I liked the APA were all the features. The handle, the fang and the cam lock are no joke, they are awesome features. I used them a lot. But the Bowtech was so much smoother. The APA was incredibly “jumpy” compared to the bowtech. On the wall and carrying around, the APA was the winner. When it came to actually shooting, the Bowtech was better in all regards.
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